The Bethesda Blog has details on a new version 1.9 update for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that's now in beta testing for the RPG sequel. The beta is available through Steam, and the post has instructions on how to opt in if you want, warning to back up your saved games if you participate in the beta. They say they hope to release this out of beta by the end of the month, and offer the following patch notes:

Skyrim 1.9

NEW FEATURES

Legendary difficulty setting

Legendary Skills – Skills of 100 can be made Legendary. This will reset the skill to 15, return its Perks and allow the skill to affect leveling again. This effectively removes the overall level cap.

Bug fixes after the break…

BUG FIXES

General memory and stability improvements

Fixed issue with quest scripts that were not shutting down properly

Companions will equip better weapons and armor if given to them

Fixed rare issue where player is unable to learn the Clear Skies shout during “The Throat of the World”

Fixed rare instance where Alduin would become invincible during “Alduin’s Bane”

Fixed a rare issue where player could become stuck in Night Mother’s coffin during “Death Incarnate”

Fixed rare issue where protected companions could be killed from poison damage

jacobvandy wrote on Mar 4, 2013, 17:51:Resetting your skill doesn't reset your damage to noob levels because you still have your uber gear... You're still powerful, just not as much as you were previously. That is, until you level up the skill again and gain some levels and end up being MORE powerful than you started.

Your skills wouldn't end up more powerful, though. They'd be exactly the same as they were before you reset them. You'd have some extra health or magicka, and that'd be it.

And I think you need to have a look at your uber gear and see how much of that damages comes from skill. At skill 15, the difference between a longbow and a daedric bow is around 12 points of damage. It isn't until you get the skill up and get the 5 perks to get the damage up that it really becomes impressive.

Look, it's up to you how you use this skill reset business. You can reset a bow skill or a sneak skill on their own, and still be pretty uber, or both and have some challenge again. Or you can decide you don't want to reset anything at all, doesn't matter to me or anyone else.

Oh, I don't mean to imply that it's bad they put it in or something. It's awesome they put the option in there. I just wish there'd be some kind of purpose in resetting your skills. (like, the reset and Legendary status give it a +10% bonus or something.)

Merely gaining levels (which is going to take FOREVER anyway. I think 80 to 81 already took like 400 skill increases) doesn't really seem that big of a deal.